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Is Pic `N' Save A Bargain Basement Buy?by
Proxy fights attract investors to companies like bees to honey. Pic `N' Save, a retailer of discounted "close-out" merchandise, was one of the companies that underwent a proxy battle last summer, and some shareholders made sweet profits when Girard Partners dislodged management. Pic's stock raced up to 20 a share from 11 at the height of the battle. But as the overall stock market hit the skids and investors bailed out, the stock dived to as low as 6. Now, some of the big investors have started buying again, pushing the stock up to 13 from 8 in early January.
A new proxy fight is not in the cards, but some pros believe that Pic has become an attractive turnaround stock. They say the management that Girard put in, led by new Pic Chairman Peter Willmott (former chairman of department-store chain Carson Pirie Scott) is committed to enhancing shareholder interests and will take steps to kick up the stock. Girard also brought in Len Williams, a former president of Caldor and Gold Circle stores, as CEO.
"We think management is focusing on two objectives: Cutting debt and shrinking capitalization through a major share-buyback sometime soon," says one New York money manager, who notes that Pic already repurchased 5 million shares in December. He figures that based on earnings alone, the stock could hit 20 this year. "The kicker is that once Pic shapes up, it will again become an attractive takeover target," says this pro.
HARD-PRESSED. Kathy Auslander, an analyst at Brean Murray, Foster Securities, is also high on the stock. Since Pic is flush with about $30 million in excess cash, she says that a major share repurchase is almost inevitable. She emphasizes that Pic operates a profitable niche business: It sells cheaply priced goods. The company operates 191 retail stores in the West, South, and Southeast. Its merchandise includes name-brand apparel, housewares, toys, beauty aids, and health products. Pic buys from hard-pressed producers at prices below wholesale.
Auslander notes that the new management is trying to improve margins by tightening inventory controls and cracking down on pilferage. The company has sold some assets, such as 14 Job Lot Pushcart stores in New York and New Jersey. She figures that Pic will earn $1 to $1.05 in the year ending Jan. 30, 1992, and $1.25 to $1.35 in fiscal 1993, vs. 87~ (before charges) in 1991. If her projections are right, Pic's stock is selling at close-out prices.


text: The next Grand Theft Auto game is on the way! GTA 6 is now confirmed to be in development. Anytime developer Rockstar makes a move it is an important one, but there’s nothing quite like the excitement behind the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. Speculation has been running wild for more than a while now on where Rockstar would take the series next, and while things are still under wraps, the storied developer has just confirmed GTA 6 (or whatever it will be called) is indeed in the works. More details below.

domain: news


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'States should have enough time. We still do not know the rules. There are a lot of operational difficulties.'
Implementation of goods and services tax (GST) is expected to start from July 1 but Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu wants a two-month delay.
In an interview he tells Dilasha Seth that states should get at least six months to prepare for the move. On Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tabled four crucial supporting bills that will enable GST to be rolled out on July 1.
How comfortable are you with the July 1 date?
While it is possible to roll out GST from July 1, it is desirable to implement it from September 1.
States should have enough time. We still do not know the rules. There are a lot of operational difficulties. The information technology system needs to have a dummy run. A good six months’ time will help. September 1 is a good time to roll out GST.
The GST Bills have been approved by the Council. How fast will things move now?
Three key Bills -- on Central GST (CGST), State GST (SGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) -- stand passed by the Council.
By March 31, it is expected that all the rules are finalised to be notified.
What is the idea behind a cap of 15 per cent on the cess on luxury cars and aerated drinks?
Essentially, an enabling provision that has been put in the law. The intention at the moment is to keep the aggregate rate at 40 per cent, with a 28 per cent GST rate and 12 per cent cess.
The cess is to compensate states. Therefore, an enabling provision has been created for a 15 per cent cess, so that there is no need to go to 28 legislatures to revise it upwards.
When is the J&a Assembly expected to pass the legislation?
Since the template is there for CGST, SGST and IGST, we will get these passed in the assembly. It will convene shortly.
Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters.


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Epic Games, the video game company behind the hugely popular Fortnite online romp, agrees to pay more than half a billion dollars in penalties for collecting data on children and deceptive practices.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Monday in a statement that it had secured the record-breaking settlements for two cases from Epic Games, the video game company that was bombarded with complaints involving children’s privacy and methods that tricked players into making purchases.
Epic Games agreed to pay a $275m fine for collecting personal data on Fortnite players under the age of 13 without informing their parents or getting their consent. This is the biggest penalty ever issued for breaking an FTC rule.
“Epic used privacy-invasive default settings that harmed young Fortnite players,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan.
“Protecting the public, and especially children and teens, from online privacy invasions is a top priority for the Commission, and this enforcement action makes clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.”
The company will also refund $245m to customers, also mostly children, who fell victim to so-called “dark patterns” and billing practices. The total thus reaches $520m.
Dark patterns are deceptive online techniques used to push users into doing things they didn’t intend to do or paying up when they think they’re not paying.
“Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button,” the FTC said.
According to the agency, players could, for example, be charged while trying to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing a nearby button when simply trying to preview an item, it said. Consumers lost hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges.
Epic Games said it wanted to resolve concerns over “past designs of the Fortnite item shop and refund systems.”
“No developer creates a game with the intention of ending up here. The video game industry is a place of fast-moving innovation, where player expectations are high and new ideas are paramount,” the company said.
“Statutes written decades ago don’t specify how gaming ecosystems should operate. The laws have not changed, but their application has evolved and long-standing industry practices are no longer enough. We accepted this agreement because we want Epic to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players.”
According to the FTC complaint, Epic Games employees expressed concerns about the safety of voice and text communication settings for children as early as 2017. Media widely reported that children had been bullied, sexually harassed, and exposed to self-harm and suicide through the game.
Epic Games eventually introduced a button to turn off voice chats, but the company made the option difficult to find, the complaint said.
Already in 2019, National Research Group said in a study that Fortnite has evolved far beyond its status as a hit video game and has become a sort of social gathering space for millions of teenagers and children – and this can be a dangerous environment.
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A rugby player turned financier will be among the biggest losers from the collapse of Mothercare, with at least £8m wiped off his fortune since March alone.
Richard Griffiths is the largest shareholder in the failing toys and baby clothes chain, with a 19.7pc stake owned through his investment firm Ora Capital.
Mothercare formally drafted in administrators at PwC for its UK business on Tuesday, putting almost 2,900 at risk.
It managed to protect thousands of staff and former workers from pension cutbacks by shifting responsibility for pensions from the UK business to the international operation.
The ailing retailer’s international business is profitable and will be unaffected by the administration, which means Mothercare will stay listed on the stock market.
It admitted on Monday that its 79 stores in the UK were incapable of making money, having already shut 55 shops through a rescue plan.
The share price was 9.3p when markets closed on Tuesday before administrators were appointed, down 50pc over the past 12 months and valuing Mothercare at £33.3m.
Mr Griffiths’ stake was worth £22.4m in March. A former Welsh sheep farmer, he is the ex-chairman and founder of broker Evolution Securities.
The 53-year-old stepped down from Evolution in 2005 following a wave of criticism when one of the firm's clients, Regal Petroleum, suffered a share price crash which cost investors millions of pounds just three weeks after the broker raised £45m on its behalf.
Evolution had previously been fined £500,000 by the Financial Services Authority for market abuse by short-selling shares in Room Service, an Aim-listed company now known as Azure Holdings. Mr Griffiths was never involved in any wrongdoing.
Mr Griffiths, who once played for Pontypool and Merthyr Tydfil rugby clubs, went on to set up Ora as a family office. It is based in Jersey and focuses primarily on small-cap stocks.
Separately, bike seller Halfords has promised job interviews to all Mothercare staff, who will lose their jobs.
PwC’s Zelf Hussain said: “This is a sad moment for a well-known high street name. No-one is immune from the challenging conditions faced by the UK retail sector. Like many other retailers, Mothercare has been hit hard by increasing cost pressures and changes in consumer spending.”


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Tags: Q2 2013
Vulcan Materials Company announced last week that the company’s net sales rose 7 percent ($47 million) in the second quarter of the year, which ended on June 30. Don James , Chairman and CEO of Vulcan, said the “solid growth in ...
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. announced last week that the company’s net sales rose 4 percent in the second quarter of the year, which ended on June 30, while its net earnings were up 12 percent in the same three-month period. Ward ...
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Twin Peaks, a sports bar and restaurant chain, announced its expansion to West Texas.
Lubbock, Abilene and Amarillo were named as future locations, according to a news release. Wichita Falls will also have a Twin Peaks restaurant. The specific address in Lubbock was not given, and EverythingLubbock.com has asked for an update when possible.
All the locations will open in the next three years, according to the release.
The following is a news release from Champion Management:
Twin Peaks continues to build positive momentum in sales and traffic and is sticking to its commitment to crank up expansion.
CEO Joe Hummel announced today that the company has executed an Area Development Agreement with Permian Entertainment, LLC, to bring four Twin Peaks locations to Lubbock, Abilene, Amarillo, and Wichita Falls. The agreement anticipates that all of the new restaurants will be open within about three years.
“We were already fans of Twin Peaks, so when we spoke with Todd Peterson and his team about the brand’s franchising opportunities and explored all of its potential, we knew that this was where we were meant to be,” said Herb Graham, Founder & Owner of Permian Entertainment, LLC. “Twin Peaks is so much more than the typical sports bar. The polished mountain lodge setting, scratch menu, Twin Peaks Girls, and the brand’s universal promise of serving its draft beer at 29-degrees, offers a unique experience unlike anything else in the industry. We are excited to join the Twin Peaks team and we look forward to introducing the one-of-a-kind concept to everyone in these four new cities.”
Permian Entertainment, LLC – an entity created by Graham Brothers Entertainment – consists of three partners – Graham, President Roger Gearhart, and longtime investor Jim Milson. Graham Brothers Entertainment was founded in the 1960s and opened its first nightclub in 1968. Since then, the group has owned and operated more than 40 bars and nightclubs throughout the southwest and currently owns and operates a multi-day multi-venue country music festival as well as a country music artists management firm based in Nashville, Tenn.
“We have been wanting to expand into West Texas ever since we started franchising, and we feel very fortunate to have this triple threat leading the way there,” said Hummel “We look forward to working with these talented business men and their team as they scout locations and share our made-from-scratch food and ice cold brews with communities across West Texas.”
Twin Peaks welcomes every guest with primetime matchups and barrel-aged whiskey. The entire menu is prepared in-house, to order and in generous portions to satisfy every appetite. The hearty made-from-scratch comfort food pairs perfectly with a frosty draft beer or a classic whiskey cocktail.


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A Lehman Brothers report on 2008 online political ad revenue published last week is bullish, especially when compared to another recent forecast. The analyst firm predicts political advertisers could spend over $110 million on Web ads this year, with less than half that amount coming from presidential election-related advertising. Indeed, Lehman Brothers Analyst Douglas Anmuth believes the portion of ad spending online by political campaigns, pegged at 3.6 percent, will double by the midterm elections in 2010, and could hit double digits by 2012.
The “Anmuth’s Internet Inside Weekly” report states $42.5 million or 5 percent of all presidential campaign spending in 2008 will flow online. The remaining forecast $67.1 million in online political ad spending will come from other political advertisers, including congressional and public policy related campaigns. Mirroring other prognostications, the firm anticipates an incremental rise in online campaign ad expenditures moving forward.
Lehman Brothers also expects US online advertising to grow 24 percent to $26.2 billion in 2008, pointing particularly to presidential election and summer Olympics-related ad spending as key drivers.
The report suggests presidential campaigns will spend more of their ad budgets on the Web compared with statewide campaigns because they are national in scope. However, it’s important to note the ability to target ads geographically down to the zip code level has been a draw to presidential candidate campaigns during the primary season. Geo-targeting will most likely continue to be an attractive option to these advertisers once party nominees emerge, since the campaigns typically target ads heavily in important swing states or other tight-race regions.
Overall, total political ad spending on all media in ’08 is set to reach over $3 billion, with $850 million coming from the presidential campaigns, according to the report. Spending by US Senate campaigns across media will rise almost 8 percent from $302 million to $325 million, while US House spending will go up nearly 19 percent from $337 million to $400 million. Public policy and other state efforts will also drive political ad revenues this year. Ad spending by such groups, however, isn’t always associated with a candidate campaign.
Lehman’s estimate that 3.6 percent of political ad dollars will move online this year is higher than the 1.6 percent estimate published in a December PQ Media report. That forecast encompasses political ad spending on all media in 2007 leading up to the presidential primaries, as well as ’08 revenues, totaling an estimated $4.5 billion across all media. Despite casting a larger net, PQ predicts just $73 million is expected to go towards the Web, compared with Lehman’s $110 million forecast.
According to PQ, about 80 percent of all money spent by political advertisers on the Web will go towards e-mail marketing efforts, a primary method for online fundraising pitches and communicating with grassroots supporters. The Lehman report, which represents all forms of online advertising, notes, “our estimates are directly associated with the advertising budgets of each candidate.” Anmuth added he thinks less Web spending is going towards e-mail than is estimated by PQ.
The Lehman report notes about 80 percent of the projected $3 billion in political ad spending will go towards TV, with the rest going to radio, print and the Web.
“We believe the major publishers such as Yahoo! and others are likely to benefit not just from campaign advertising, but also from increased traffic and engagement across their News and Elections coverage,” predicts Lehman.
As reported by ClickZ News last month, Yahoo served up the lion’s share of presidential campaign ad impressions in 2007, according to Nielsen Online AdRelevance information. Nearly 90 million ad impressions from the candidates, or 32 percent, ran across Yahoo, and MSN grabbed about 30 million or 11 percent of display ads run by presidential hopefuls. Excite and AOL also scored a chunk of ad dollars from the presidential campaigns.
If you’re just starting out with a business, or looking for tools to help you grow, there is a huge array of digital marketing tools, platforms and services available online.
As emojis take over the world, more brands are experimenting with them in an attempt to stay relevant. What’s the best way to do so and what should be avoided?
Few digital terms are as dirty as clickbait. It's the scourge of the web, and Facebook recently announced a News Feed update aimed at reducing the prevalence of clickbait headlines on its service.
You don't have to be a large B2B company to create an impressive LinkedIn presence, all you need is the focus on the right direction and the consistency to succeed in your social efforts.


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Mike Tyson claims he smokes $40,000 worth of pot each month
Mike Tyson says he smokes $40,000 worth of weed each month.
The boxer makes the claim on a recent installment of his podcast, "Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson," according to Atlanta TV station WSB.
Tyson's focus these days is on Tyson Ranch, his cannabis business, not the boxing ring, WSB reports. Launched in 2018, Tyson Ranch focuses on the high-end cannabis market, partnering with "esteemed growers" to produce a variety of products, including edibles and extracts.
"We smoke 10 tons of weed at the ranch a month," Britton says at one point during the podcast.
"Ain't that crazy?" Tyson replies. "We take it for granted."
Other pot-related ventures for Tyson and business partner Eben Britton will include a line of CBD-enhanced drinks and a 420-acre (get it?) cannabis-friendly resort in California.


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SHAH ALAM (Nov 15) : Paramount Corp Bhd’s (Paramount) property arm has launched its first development in Penang, the 44.3-acre Utropolis Batu Kawan university metropolis development.
With an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM1.8 billion, the development is located in Batu Kawan on mainland Penang, just 1km away from the Second Penang Bridge and the North-South Highway.
Speaking at the preview of the development in Shah Alam today, Paramount group CEO Jeffrey Chew said the development marks the company’s debut in the Penang property sector, which has consistently remained one of Malaysia’s most vibrant.
Utropolis Batu Kawan is expected to duplicate the success of Utropolis Glenmarie in Shah Alam, Selangor, which was launched in 2013, he added.
The integrated development of Utropolis Batu Kawan will be divided into four phases. It will comprise residential, commercial, retail and hotel components as well as a new flagship campus for KDU Penang University College, which is owned and operated by Paramount’s education division.
The 10.5-acre campus will be the biggest purpose-built campus in Batu Kawan when fully completed, said Paramount Property division director of innovation Benjamin Teo.
"When the campus is completed, it will be able to house up to 5,000 students," said Teo.
The entire Utropolis Batu Kawan development is expected to be fully completed by 2026, said Chew.
We have launched the phase 1a of the development last month. The phase 1a comprises 196 units of commercial and retail component with prices starting at RM326,600,” Chew said. “We are going to launch the phase 1b early next year, this phase will consist of two blocks of studio apartment with a total 612 units.”
“The phase 1a and 1b will be completed in the second quarter of 2019, in conjunction with the completion of the KDU Penang University College campus so that the students will able to enjoy all the facilities and amenities when they come in,” he added.
He pointed out that a university metropolis is a unique community as it never grows old due to the constant infusion of new students. “They will act as a catalyst to attract lifestyle businesses and support services while creating a dynamic and evolving community,” he said, adding that this will create a vibrant real estate market which offers a constant demand for residential properties, as well as commercial, retail and office spaces.
Meanwhile, Paramount is also planning to launch phase three of Utropolis Glenmarie early next year.
With a GDV of about RM300 million, phase three will consist of serviced apartments, retail shops and a three-and-a-half-star hotel, which will be a joint venture with Lasseters International Holdings.
Paramount is looking to achieve RM430 million in property sales this year, which is on par with last year.
"Next year, we will have a higher sales target of RM500 million as we will be launching more projects from now onwards," Chew said.


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Could a ‘no deal’ Brexit be a ‘golden opportunity’ for the UK’s green economy?
In light of the Government’s latest wave of 'no deal' Brexit planning updates, resource management experts have claimed that the scenario could force the UK to manage its waste more efficiently.
The Government’s latest updates, published late last week, confirmed that a scenario in which the UK fails to reach a withdrawal agreement with the EU would involve changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), eco-design standards, commercial fishing regulation, waste management and the cross-border trade of electricity and gas.
The updates reveal that the UK’s energy sector could be among the most severely affected in a ‘no deal’ scenario, confirming that “European energy law will no longer apply to the UK and the UK’s electricity markets will be decoupled from the Internal Energy Market”.
In terms of waste management, import and export licenses issued by the UK would no longer be valid for shipments of waste to the remaining EU countries under a ‘no deal’ scenario, the document states.
Concerns have been raised by many in the waste industry, including Suez’s director of external affairs Adam Read, who recently told ITV: “No deal’s not good, not good for us, (the) transition period will be scary.
“What do we do on that day one? What happens? Where does that material go? We can have logjams in the system operating with Europe and beyond. We need a plan.”
However, resource sustainability firm TOMRA has taken a more optimistic view on the updates, claiming that a ‘no deal’ scenario could provide a boost to the UK’s circular economy efforts.
The updates confirm that the Government may impose a tax of up to 7.5% on waste exports in the event of a ‘no deal’, which, coupled with potential issues with ports and currency exchange rates, may make exporting waste to the EU economically unviable.
These changes – compounded by the recent ban on imports of millions of tonnes of plastic waste by the Chinese government – have given policymakers and the waste management industry an opportunity to overhaul recycling standards and infrastructure, TOMRA’s chief executive Stefan Ranstrand has claimed.
“Through every challenge, there is a chance to look at the way we do things and how we can improve them,” Ranstrand said.
“The UK has a golden opportunity to make its economy more circular. By investing in better recycling technology rather than outsourcing waste, the recycling industry will see higher purity levels, meaning less material in landfills and less environmental pollution.”
Specifically, Ranstrand highlighted a ‘no deal’ Brexit as the ideal backdrop for the launch of a nationwide deposit return scheme for plastic, aluminium and glass drinks packaging – arguing that doing so would help the public view packaging as a valuable resource rather than exportable, disposable waste.
At present just 43% of the 13bn plastic bottles sold each year in the UK are recycled, and 700,000 are littered every day. In Germany, a DRS was introduced in 2003 and 99% of plastic bottles are recycled.
Ranstrand’s sentiments echo those voiced by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) and the Environmental Services Association (ESA) shortly after the Chinese waste import ban was announced, with the former having argued that it provided an opportunity for an overhaul of Producer Responsibility Obligations (PROs).
The system creates a legal obligation for packaging producers to ensure that a proportion of their marketed products are recovered and recycled. Businesses can show evidence of their compliance by purchasing Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs).
For the UK, this cost is around €20 per tonne, but other European nations have an average for producer responsibility at around €150 per tonne. PROs from UK businesses currently contribute to just 10% of the cost of waste disposal, with taxpayers paying the remaining 90%.
The likes of Coca-Cola and Tesco have also voiced beliefs that the PRO system should be overhauled, with MPs currently scrutinising alternatives as part of the UK’s Resources and Waste Strategy, which is expected to be launched later this year. The strategy is widely expected to include increased rates of tax on virgin materials, coupled with tax breaks for manufacturers using recycled content in their products.
© Faversham House Ltd 2023 edie news articles may be copied or forwarded for individual use only. No other reproduction or distribution is permitted without prior written consent.


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Bradford, England, 2015-4-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — Morrisons saw sales of garden refuse sacks increase 250% last week, as many British homes mowed their lawn for the first time this year according to in-house traders.
Simon Williams, Buying Manager at Morrisons said: “April’s usually well known for its showers, but the school holidays and this warm weather prompted homes to take their garden in hand.”
Compost sales also grew by 175% and bedding plant sales increased by 400% compared to the same week last year. Pansy sales increased by 25%, mixed bedding plants sales increased by 50% and Sweet Pea & Vida sales doubled.
Tom Woodhouse, responsible for bedding plants at Morrisons said: “The good weather undeniably drew us in to the garden last week and it provided great growing conditions for bedding plants.
“Demand was so strong last week that we saw enough bedding plants leave our shelves to stretch some 130km if lined up.”
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Shares in British American Tobacco, the largest listed tobacco company in the world, have gone up in smoke after a report suggested that the US Food and Drug Administration could ban menthol cigarettes.
Stocks plummeted as much as 11pc to £29.50 in early trade on the back of the report in the Wall Street Journal, its lowest since February 2014, wiping £8.4bn off its market value.
Menthol accounts for 36pc of the US market, according to analysts at Barclays, and generates around a quarter of BAT’s profit as it owns Newport, the biggest menthol cigarette brand in the US.
BAT’s share price has slumped by almost 40pc over the last year.
Richard Taylor of Morgan Stanley, said: “BAT is the most exposed...
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By Reuters | Updated: 15 September 2020
Walmart said it is pressing ahead with its goal to invest in TikTok as Oracle takes the lead in a partnership with the Chinese video-sharing app.
On Sunday, Oracle beat Microsoft in the battle for the US arm of TikTok with a deal structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale to try to navigate geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Walmart had teamed up with Microsoft on the unsuccessful bid.
ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, had been in talks to divest the US business of its hugely popular short-video app to Oracle or a consortium led by Microsoft after US President Donald Trump ordered the sale last month and said he might otherwise shut it down.
After Microsoft said it had been informed by ByteDance that the Chinese firm would not be selling it TikTok’s US operations, Walmart said it would talk further with ByteDance and “other interested parties.”
Asked on Monday whether the other parties include Oracle, a Walmart spokesman declined to comment.
For Walmart, a relationship with TikTok could supercharge the world’s largest retailer’s battle against Amazon in e-commerce and online advertising.
But transforming TikTok from a platform where some 50 million US daily users share short-form videos of people dancing and lip-synching into a shopping powerhouse will be a challenge for the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, analysts say.
In the United States, TikTok advertisers currently place video ads for merchandise such as headphones or fast foods in-between user-uploaded videos. They can also pay for promoted “hashtag challenges,” where users post videos about the brands’ products.
In June, TikTok courted advertisers with a new program called “TikTok For Business,” which lets brands buy ads that appear when users first open the app. “Don’t make ads, make TikToks,” the company told advertisers, which now include Nike, eBay and Colgate-Palmolive among others.
While TikTok is already on its way to building a robust advertising business, it has yet to articulate a comprehensive plan to sell goods on the app.
Rivals are far ahead. Facebook has prioritised building out shopping and payments products in recent years across its suite of apps, which include fast-growing Instagram and WhatsApp as well as its namesake “blue” app, suggesting ambitions to emulate do-it-all Chinese super apps like WeChat.
If Walmart seeks inspiration on how to narrow the gap between TikTok and other big digital platforms and also catch up to Amazon, it need look no further than TikTok’s Chinese counterpart.
Douyin, the ByteDance-owned app that resembles TikTok but is available only in China, started selling merchandise in 2017 and now operates a growing e-commerce operation where more than 400 million daily users shop.
Users can watch short videos and livestreams and make purchases directly through the store on the app or click on links to other e-commerce platforms from the videos. Creators are also encouraged to create shops within Douyin.
While Douyin has relied on and brought new business to China’s big e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba, TikTok’s e-commerce ambitions could be underpinned by Walmart.
The retailer has already accelerated e-commerce plans since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Walmart has explored new ways to court shoppers who make fewer trips to their stores. It has invested in curbside pickup and next-day and two-day deliveries.
But it could do much more, say analysts. Walmart could expand into so-called social commerce by hosting TikTok influencers’ online storefronts, and enable shopping directly from the videos and livestreams, said Scott Smigler, president of e-commerce marketing agency Exclusive Concepts.
A partnership with TikTok, Smigler said, “would give Walmart a compelling edge over both Amazon and Google, who struggle to help consumers discover new products they didn’t know they needed. That’s the true power of social commerce.”
All this could go a long way toward attracting a broader and younger audience. The average age of Walmart shoppers is 47, according to data provider Kantar.
“TikTok is valuable because it’s used every day by kids … so as long as they (Walmart) gear their ads towards the audience on TikTok, it will be a success and they could be a real leader in advertising and e-commerce,” said Randy Hare, portfolio manager at Huntington Private Bank. “If they start advertising yard tools and things like that, I don’t think they’ll get much traction.”
© Thomson Reuters 2020
Twitter Aims to Label More State-Affiliated Accounts Worldwide
By Reuters | Updated: 26 September 2020
Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said on Friday the social media platform plans to expand its labelling of state-affiliated accounts worldwide, even as he defended its policy of allowing leaders of countries like Iran and China to use Twitter.
During the virtual Oslo Freedom Forum, hosted by New York-based nonprofit the Human Rights Foundation, Dorsey said Twitter would label accounts in more countries to give users more context for information tweeted by state-affiliated accounts and “if there’s an agenda behind it.”
Twitter first announced the labelling last month, but only initially applied it to accounts from China, France, Russia, the UK and the United States.
Twitter has been used widely by activists, sometimes using pseudonyms, to broadcast human rights abuses from countries like Saudi Arabia and China, but has been criticised for failing to prevent bad actors from using so-called “bot” accounts to spread disinformation.
Dorsey said the company is using signals such as when batches of new accounts are created, and how quickly they begin tweeting about certain topics, to crack down on disinformation campaigns, while protecting activists under pseudonyms.
“Pseudonymity is a built identity, and that’s what we want to value and protect,” he said.
Asked if it was hypocritical of Twitter to allow leaders from Iran and China to use the platform despite the governments blocking access to citizens, Dorsey said there was value in “understanding how they’re thinking.”
“It’s important … to know how the story of the regime is being told to the rest of the world,” he said.
© Thomson Reuters 2020
Facebook Critics Launch Rival Oversight Board
By Reuters | Updated: 26 September 2020
Critics of Facebook, including the organisers of an advertising boycott against the company, on Friday launched their own oversight board to review the company’s content moderation practices.
The launch comes a day after Facebook’s officially-mandated Oversight Board said it would start work in mid-late October, nearly a year behind schedule.
The new group, which bills itself as the “Real Facebook Oversight Board,” counts among its initial members the heads of three US civil rights groups, the former president of Estonia and the former head of election integrity at Facebook.
The delay of the launch of the official Facebook-funded board means it is unlikely to review cases related to the November 3 US election, which has generated some of the most contentious issues faced by the world’s biggest social network.
The rival board plans to move faster, it said in a statement. It will hold its first general meeting next week, and focus squarely on election topics, including voter suppression, election security and misinformation, it said.
Facebook “responds to criticism with bad faith statements and cosmetic changes,” said board member Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook who turned critical of its leaders over their handling of misuse of the platform in the 2016 election.
“The Real Oversight Board will act as a watchdog, helping policymakers and consumers defend against a renegade platform.”
Members of the rival board plan to broadcast their meetings in weekly shows on Facebook Live, according to the statement.
A Facebook company spokesman hit back in a statement on Friday.
“We ran a year-long global consultation to set up the Oversight Board as a long-lasting institution that will provide binding, independent oversight over some of our hardest content decisions,” he said. “This new effort is mostly longtime critics creating a new channel for existing criticisms.”
The new group said it was being funded by Luminate, a philanthropy backed by The Omidyar Group, but did not disclose a funding amount.
Facebook has committed $130 million to its Oversight Board project, which it said would cover operational costs for at least six years.
© Thomson Reuters 2020
Facebook Suspends Fake Russian Accounts, Warns of US Election Hack-and-Leak Threat
By Reuters | Updated: 25 September 2020
Facebook said on Thursday it has dismantled three networks of fake accounts which could be used by Russia’s intelligence services to leak hacked documents as part of efforts to disrupt the upcoming US election.
The company said the accounts, which it suspended for using fake identities and other types of “coordinated inauthentic behaviour,” were linked to Russian intelligence and people associated with a St. Petersburg-based organisation accused by US officials of working to sway the 2016 presidential vote.
The Russian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment after normal working hours in Moscow. Russia has repeatedly denied allegations of election meddling and says it does not interfere in the domestic politics of other countries.
Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, said there was no immediate evidence that hacked documents were about to be leaked, but by suspending the accounts Facebook hoped to prevent them being used in any subsequent operation.
“Our team watches for the threats and trends that we need to be ready for, and one that we are very aware of … is a hack-and-leak operation, particularly in the next 6-8 weeks,” he told Reuters.
“We want to make sure that the accounts are down to prevent their ability to pivot them to facilitate a hack-and-leak around the US election.”
Facebook said the networks were small with only a handful of accounts on its website and photo-sharing service Instagram, some of which posed as independent media outlets and think tanks. The accounts had a combined total of around 97,000 followers.
While some of the activity did target audiences in Britain and the United States, the networks were predominantly focused on countries in the Middle East and bordering Russia, such as Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Belarus, Facebook said.
Twitter said it had worked with Facebook to identify and remove 350 accounts operated by state-linked organisations in Russia.
Both companies said one of the networks had been identified following a tip from the FBI, which warned on Tuesday that foreign actors and cybercriminals were likely to spread disinformation about the results of the November 3 election.
The warnings follow an alert by Microsoft earlier this month that hackers linked to Russia, China, and Iran are trying to spy on people tied to both US President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.
Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, worked with Facebook to analyse the suspended accounts. He said the activity showed Russia was continuing efforts to exacerbate political tensions in the United States and elsewhere.
“That doesn’t dismiss the fact that the scale and scope of domestic disinformation is far greater than what any foreign adversary could do,” he said. “But Russia’s efforts remain an extremely serious national security vulnerability.”
© Thomson Reuters 2020
Facebook, Twitter Arbitrarily Censuring ‘Nationalistic’ Content: Tejasvi Surya
By Press Trust of India | Updated: 24 September 2020
BJP member Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday raised the issue of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook allegedly arbitrarily censuring content posted by users, especially those with a “nationalistic approach” and sought government intervention for protection of such content.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Surya said for a long time there have been many “credible” allegations made against Twitter, Facebook and their affiliates of “arbitrary and unilateral regulation and censuring” of content posted by third party users, especially those with a “nationalistic approach”.
“This poses a significant constitutional challenge not only on the grounds of unreasonable restriction of free speech but also amounts to illegal interference during elections,” he said.
The MP said Facebook, Twitter and similar platforms claim themselves to be intermediaries within the meaning of the term under the IT Act, 2000.
He said the key element of this definition is that the role of the said intermediaries is limited to processing, storing and transmitting data of third party users and does not include intervention on content of the users.
Therefore, Section 79 of the Act provides these intermediaries exemption from liability. An intermediary receives protection that a regular publisher does not receive, he said.
Article 19(2) of the Constitution authorises the government to impose, by law, reasonable restrictions upon the freedom of speech and expression “in the interests of… public order”, whereas section 69 of the IT Act allows the government to intercept any information and ask for information decryption.
Surya said the guidelines essentially empower private party intermediaries to remove on the basis of user complaints or suo moto any content deemed to be in violation of its guidelines.
He said these guidelines are not only ultra vires the parent statute but also unconstitutional as the grounds they provide are too wide and will fail the standards of constitutionality set out by the Supreme Court in the Shreya Singhal case while striking down Sec 66A of the IT Act (which provided police the power to arrest a person for posting “offensive” content online).
The guidelines are problematic because they empower private enterprises performing essentially a public function to act as censors of free speech without government oversight, thus effectively and severely impacting safeguards of the fundamental right to free speech, he said.
“I therefore urge the government to repeal such unconstitutional guidelines and issue new ones to govern social media platforms, thereby protecting the fundamental right to free speech of our citizens and protect our democracy from foreign interference,” he said.
Twitter Restores ‘Mistakenly’ Locked, Limited Accounts
By ANI | Updated: 24 September 2020
Twitter on Wednesday said it has restored accounts that were mistakenly locked or limited, hours after some users reported delay in tweets showing up on timelines as well as accounts being locked “by mistake.”
“The accounts that were mistakenly locked or limited have been restored. We are sorry this happened in the first place,” Twitter Support tweeted.
We’re seeing a number of accounts that have been locked or limited by mistake and not because they Tweeted about any particular topic. We’re working to undo this and get those accounts back to normal.— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 23, 2020
A few hours back, Twitter said it is seeing a number of accounts that have been locked or limited by mistake and not because they tweeted about any particular topic.
“We are seeing a number of accounts that have been locked or limited by mistake and not because they tweeted about any particular topic,” Twitter Support tweeted. “We are working to undo this and get those accounts back to normal.”
According to a report by CNET, the accidental locking or limiting of accounts comes amid the lead-up to the 2020 US presidential election, as the micro-blogging site seeks to crack down on false and misleading information spreading via the social network and is ramping up the removal of accounts and tweets that violate its rules.
TikTok Parent ByteDance Applies for Tech Export Licence in China Amid US Deal Talks
By Reuters | Updated: 24 September 2020
ByteDance has applied for a tech export licence in China as it races to seal a deal with Oracle and Walmart that it hopes will end US government plans to ban its TikTok video-streaming app on security grounds.
The Beijing-based firm submitted the application to Beijing’s municipal commerce bureau and is awaiting a decision, it said in a statement on its Toutiao online news platform on Thursday, without referring to ongoing talks over its US operations.
The application comes about a month after China revised its list of technologies subject to export bans or restriction for the first time in 12 years, in a manner which experts said gave the government a say over any TikTok deal.
ByteDance has said its deal with Oracle and Walmart will see the creation of a standalone US company and does not involve any transfer of technology though Oracle will be able to inspect TikTok US source code.
It has also said the deal needs approval from both China and the United States.
However, the companies have issued conflicting statements over the terms of the agreement they reached with the White House, casting doubt over whether it will hold.
ByteDance said it will establish a US subsidiary called TikTok Global of which it will own 80 percent.
Oracle and WalMart, however, said majority ownership of TikTok Global would be in American hands, complying with an August 14 executive order by US President Donald Trump that ByteDance relinquish ownership of TikTok within 90 days.
Chinese state media outlets China Daily and the Global Times this week said they see no reason for China to approve the deal that Oracle and Walmart said they have struck with ByteDance, calling it based on “bullying and extortion”.
TikTok’s experience is “a textbook example of the United States’ modern-day piracy and tech bullying,” Chinese state news agency Xinhua said in an English-language commentary on Thursday, adding that national security concerns that Washington has expressed over TikTok are “nothing but a fig leaf”.
“It is time that other countries saw through the outrageous farce of the TikTok drama, knew what is really at stake, and joined hands to oppose such blatant robberies and maintain a fair global business environment,” it said.
© Thomson Reuters 2020
Google Said to Be Set to Win EU Okay for Fitbit Deal With Fresh Concessions
NTT Launches $40-Billion Buyout of Wireless Unit Docomo
Elon Musk Plans IPO for SpaceX’s Starlink Business
Motorola One Fusion+ With Pop-Up Selfie Camera, Snapdragon 730 SoC Launched: Price, Specifications
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Airships and dirigibles might seem like things from centuries past, but there are growing signs that lighter-than-air transportation may turn out to be the wave of the future.
Both the Guardian and Bloomberg recently reported, for example, that Google co-founder Sergey Brin is building a giant airship in a hangar at a northern California airfield. According to the Guardian account, the craft's price tag is in the $100-to-$150 million range, and it could end up being nearly 656 feet (200 meters) long, which would make it the world's largest aircraft.
The Guardian reported that the airship is intended to transport food and supplies on humanitarian missions, and also to serve as a personal flying yacht for the billionaire.
Google's parent company Alphabet, which took over Moffett Federal Airfield in 2015, revealed in its recent proxy statement that it's leasing hangar space to the company LTA Research & Exploration, which is owned by an entity affiliated with Brin. (A person who answered the phone number listed for LTA in a business database declined to provide any information about the company to HowStuffWorks, and Alphabet didn't respond to an email.)
But in addition to that mysterious project, several other major airship projects are in various stages of development, giving the classic blimp a space-age spin.


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West Pharmaceutical Services to Host a Free Exclusive Webinar on Prefilled Syringe Elastomer Components taking place on 16th July 2020
LONDON, KENSINGTON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 21, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — SMi are announcing the free webinar, “Prefilled Syringe Elastomer Components High-quality Solutions for Sensitive Molecules” on 16th July 2020. This webinar will cover new elastomer component leading with innovation excellence developed to address the ever-increasing demands. Discussing the challenges of the pharmaceutical industry driven towards components being essentially free of particulate and meeting customer demand for consistency by assuring dimensional stability.
As the industry continues to see significant growth for drug products developed in prefilled syringe systems (PFS), there is a trend for pharmaceutical companies to evaluate more complex drug molecules, such as biologics.
This webinar discusses current trends in the market for injectable drug delivery and outlines current challenges for companies developing drug products in a prefillable syringe system.
Interested parties can register at www.pfs-elastomer-components-webinar.com/einpr1
Increasing demands on quality, stringent regulations, trends towards home care treatments by using innovative device technology, and the development of specialized,…


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Celcius Logistics secures Rs 100 Cr Series A funding to innovate cold chain tech
The company will utilise the funds for tech innovations aimed at solving cold chain fragmentation, reducing perishable wastage, and prioritising sustainability.
Cold chain marketplaceLogistics has secured Rs 100 crore in its Series A funding round led by IvyCap Ventures.
The company aims to utilise the fresh capital for tech innovations to solve the fragmented cold supply chain, reduce wastage in perishables, and focus on sustainability.
Tej Kapoor, Managing Partner at IvyCap Ventures, will be joining the board of Celcius on behalf of the investor. Celcius earlier raised Rs 35 crore from existing investors Mumbai Angels, Supply Chain Labs, Endurance Capital, VCats, Huddle, Eaglewings Ventures (EVAN), and others.
"We are glad to have partnered with Celcius Logistics, which is revolutionising the cold supply chain sector with its innovative approach," Vikram Gupta, Founder and Managing Partner of IvyCap Ventures said.
"Given its focus and the expertise of the team, we are confident that Celcius will emerge as the leading brand in this space."
Celcius Logistics offers an integrated online smart platform that provides end-to-end supply chain solutions, including booking and monitoring transport, warehousing, last-mile, and hyperlocal delivery services for all stakeholders across the cold chain network. The company says it has transported over 100 tonnes of perishables for clients including Maersk, Jubilant Foods, and Zomato.
"From our humble beginnings with just five employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have become a leading player in the cold supply chain industry, with a team of 125 dedicated employees and an operational presence in 350+ cities across the country," said Founder and CEO Swarup Bose, adding that it recently launched smart solutions catering to last-mile needs.
The company plans to add a warehouse management system and an upgraded transportation management system to its platform.
The cold-chain system in India suffers from several inefficiencies. As per India Cold Chain Market Report 2023, 4.6%-15.9% of fruits, 5.2% of inland fish, 10.5% of marine fish, 2.7% of meat, and 6.7% of poultry is wasted each year due to unavailability of cold storage.
Celcius aims to introduce smart tech innovations to address challenges in the pharma sector and build an unbroken cold supply chain and ensure food security.
Edited by Kanishk Singh


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Mercedes electric car technology behind 99mph fluorescent green speedster debuted at Miami International Boat Show
Technology behind the car widely tipped to be the world's fastest electric model in production has now been harnessed to deliver a record-breaking zero-emissions powerboat. A range of components, including...
Confectionery giant's sustainability report also reveals a 25 per cent cut in emissions since 2007
From "nose jobs" to hull coatings, BusinessGreen explores whether new technologies can help dent shipping's significant emissions
The King's Fund's Chris Naylor makes the case for NHS embracing a genuinely ambitious climate strategy
Three major financing deals for UK solar farms announced by Cubico, Primrose Solar and Quercus


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Sony Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact listed on Flipkart for Rs 49990 and Rs 42990
Few days back, Sony had officially announced Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 compact in India for Rs 51,990 and 44,990. By applying some logical tactics on its pricing, Flipkart(may be with Sony’s partnership) has just listed both these devices for Rs 49,990 and Rs 42,990 respectively. Both these devices will roll out on September 30th and you can pre-order them right-away. Undoubtedly, they are much costlier. But Sony never ship junk products, they are always shipping quality products since the outbreak of “Ericsson”. They started their premium devices roll out by firstly launching Sony Xperia Z, their first water proof smartphone with incredibly amazing build quality and poor viewing angles, all followed by Xperia Z1, Xperia Z2 and now Xperia Z3 with better processor version and improved camera.


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30 Rock Is No Longer Streaming on Netflix - ComicBook.com
comicbook.com › news › 30-rock-netflix-exit-july-2022-streaming-peacock
3 days ago · 30 Rock, the popular NBC sitcom starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, had been available to watch on Netflix for quite some time.
People also ask
Can you watch 30 Rock Netflix?
It was relicensed to Netflix surprisingly on August 1st, 2021 but it now turns out it was only for a year. All seven seasons are leaving on August 1st, 2022 with your last day to watch being July 31st. For long-term subscribers of Netflix, you'll know this isn't the first time we've had to bid farewell to 30 Rock.
Jul 5, 2022
How long is 30 Rock on Netflix?
You can stream 30 Rock on Netflix until Sunday, July 31. You can also stream it on Peacock, where there are no plans to remove it from the catalog as far as we know.
Jul 10, 2022
What streaming services have 30 Rock?
Watch 30 Rock Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)
Is 30 Rock staying on Hulu?
You might not be able to stream 30 Rock on Netflix anymore starting on July 31, but the complete series will still be available to stream on Hulu with a subscription.
Jun 22, 2022
'30 Rock' Leaving Netflix (Again) in August 2022
www.whats-on-netflix.com › Leaving Soon from Netflix
Jul 5, 2022 · It's time to say goodbye to Liz Lemon again with 30 Rock set to leave Netflix in the United States in August 2022 after only a year on the ...
'30 Rock' Is Leaving Netflix: Where To Watch The Popular Tina Fey ...
decider.com › 2022/07/31 › 30-rock-leaving-netflix-where-to-watch-30-ro...
Jul 31, 2022 · It's official: 30 Rock is leaving Netflix. The popular series will no longer be available to watch on Netflix, but you can still stream 30 ...
30 Rock is leaving Netflix in July 2022 (Where it's streaming next)
netflixlife.com › 2022/06/22 › 30-rock-leaving-netflix-july-2022-where-its...
Jun 22, 2022 · The comedy series will be departing Netflix on Sunday, July 31, 2022. So the last day you can watch all seven seasons on Netflix is July 30.
Aug 2, 2022 · As of August 1, 2022, no, 30 Rock is no longer available on Netflix. (In case you were wondering, here is what's new on Netflix in August).
'30 Rock' Leaving Netflix Very Soon - PopCulture.com
popculture.com › streaming › news › 30-rock-leaving-netflix-very-soon
Jul 10, 2022 · If you are reading this in July, you have just weeks left to binge-watch 30 Rock on Netflix. The streamer announced that 30 Rock is one of ...
Jul 21, 2022 · All seven seasons of the NBC Studios-produced sitcom 30 Rock will exit Netflix effective July 31, following the expiration of the streaming ...
30 Rock Is Leaving Netflix in July - PRIMETIMER
www.primetimer.com › news › 30-rock-leaving-netflix-july
Jun 22, 2022 · 30 Rock Is Leaving Netflix in July ... Other series leaving the streamer include Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Chicago Med. ... Tina Fey's Emmy- ...
30 Rock: Created by Tina Fey. With Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit. Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch comedy show "TGS with Tracy ...
Jul 19, 2021 · How do you do, fellow kids? '30 Rock' is coming back to Netflix! ... The complete series of 30 Rock is arriving on the service next month.


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It's official - Nasstar has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Digital & Tech Category!
In news / By Katy Flannery / 04 January 2018
It’s official, our blog The Nasstarian has been shortlisted in the Digital & Tech Category at the UK Blog Awards.
The UK Blog Awards® recognise a multitude of industry social media talent across the UK. The awards provide a unique opportunity for individual and companies from their sector to be recognised for their social media achievements through blogging, vlogging, instagramming and snapchatting.
The UK Blog Awards is the most prestigious, and the only, multi-industry awards honouring online excellence. Now in its fifth year, The UK Blog Awards continues to celebrate the most resonant and engaging content creators in the UK, those inside and outside of the prevailing trends.
We’re delighted that we are one of only 6 company bloggers that have been shortlisted out of the 4000 entries & nominations. What a great way to begin the year!
The winners will be announced at The UK Blog Awards on the 20th April. Thank you to everyone who voted for The Nasstarian, we couldn’t have done it without you!


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Online education platform KopyKitab gets induced with a boost of fresh funds from new funding round.
Bengaluru-based ed-tech startup KopyKitab has raised an undisclosed funding amount from a clutch of institutional and angel investors. The investors include the likes of Pacatolus (Singapore), Stanford Angels (led by Paula Mariwala), and other angel investors such as Praveen Gandhi, Jeenendra Bhandari, Mohit Dubey, and Manoj Mehta. This startup will use this fundraise to further improve its technology platform and enlarge its scope within the ecosystem. It offers personalised and virtual learning for higher education and competitive exams.
KopyKitab, founded in 2014 by Sumeet Verma and Amit Shrivastava, earlier raised $2 million from CBA Capital, Pacatolus and other angel investors. The startup claims to have a user base of over 4.5 million with 6 million app downloads.
KopyKitab CEO and co-founder Sumeet Verma said to yourstory, “There are 40,000 institutes in India with 60 percent plus gap in quality faculty and curated content in a highly scattered market. KopyKitab has witnessed a massive growth, with changing consumer behaviour due to the pandemic, and 68 percent of the traffic coming from Tier II and Tier III towns validates our business model. Our aim is to address the underserved market of higher education.”
Angel investor Praveen Gandhi said to yourstory, “We believe in the model of KopyKitab and that’s why we have backed the team from their early days. Unlike other edtech players, KopyKitab focuses on demands from the students’ side and works to give them what they need to further excel in their studies and outcomes. That makes them very student centric platform.”
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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The Co-operative Food has launched an in-store communications campaign to highlight key messages and offers.
The campaign, called A Good Deal for You, aims to increase visibility for The Co-operative’s latest promotions and deals.
Marketing communications company, APS Group, managed the print production and distribution of the new point of sale campaign, and the communications materials have now been rolled out to all 2,800 Co-operative Group food stores nationwide.
Andrew Mann, customer director for The Co-operative Food, said: “The in-store communications refresh is designed to provide shoppers with information beyond the usual money-saving and ‘big deals’ initiatives. Working alongside APS, we selected a softer design and approach that updated the traditional value messaging. The ‘A Good Deal for You’ POS displays will also act as a navigational tool during key events such as Valentine’s Day, helping our customers discover a smarter, more inspirational way to shop.
“Using our green colour scheme and softer lettering, the new communications campaign is also designed to encourage customer confidence around the fantastic quality of Co-operative own-brand products.”
The campaign is the largest project that APS has ever carried out for The Co-operative Food, encompassing distribution as well as print and production services. It forms part of a larger contract that sees APS provide print and associated marketing services to other Co-operative Group businesses.
Andrew Gore, account director at APS, said: “We already have a strong working relationship with The Co-operative Group and have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team to deliver a solution that has both modernised and lifted The Co-operative Food’s in-store signage. The whole campaign is centred on the customer, and has already received very positive feedback from customers and staff.’’


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Developed by ZTE and The9, the $159 FunBox console features Nvidia's Tegra 4 (quad-core, ARM Cortex-A15) processor, 2GB of RAM, Dolby DigitalPlus audio, support for 4K video and dual-band WiFi.
Lenovo recently debuted its ThinkPad 8 with 64GB of storage for $429. However, a $399 model with 32GB of storage is expected to hit the streets sometime in the near future.
It has been awhile since we wrote anything about new low speed electric vehicles, which are defined as small neighborhood cars that go at speeds under 35 miles per hour. There’s now however a new one to report on, as debuted in the Los Angeles Times, that’s called the Innova Dash.
Once upon a time, a $200 price point was thought to be the sweet spot for tablets. But then Hewlett Packard raised the proverbial bar with its $99 WebOS tablet fire sale.


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The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall Sunday morning for Chicco Polly highchairs.
The CPSC says there are 21 reports of children falling on or against pegs on the back legs that are designed for tray storage.
Recalled highchairs were sold for $100 to $150 at Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Burlington Coat Factory, Buy Buy Baby, and Shopko stores.
Albeebaby.com, Amazon. com, Babyage.com, Babysupersmart.com, Diapers.com and Target.com also sold the highchair.


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Index 2012 will launch a sector called “Surfaces & Finishes” which will focus on surfaces, flooring and finishing products in addition to its Kitchen & Bathroom division.
Over 17% of Index visitors came to specifically source and purchase Kitchen & Bathroom solutions in 2011.
The GCC interior contracting and fit out sector which encompasses kitchen and bathroom fittings has witnessed a steady growth from US $5.13 million to US$ 8.6 million in 2010 according to the Ventures Middle East’s ‘GCC Construction Overview – 4th Quarter 2010’ report published in January 2011.
The Index Exhibition 2011 saw over 27,000 visitors including 1,600 VIP project buyers with purchasing power of over US $102,566 million with overall visitor numbers increasing by 11.4% year on year (BPA audited).
“In the past, Index had a great level of interest from the kitchen and bathroom industry to feature a dedicated section, so the decision was an easy one for us, as we are backed by leading international brands and manufacturers,” said Muhammed Kazi, project manager Index Kitchen & Bathroom.
“The show’s design-led positioning has now boosted its status amongst suppliers and buyers, providing them with the ultimate ‘one stop shop’ for the latest trends and themes in the kitchen and bathroom sector. ’
Index will take place from September 24-27 at Dubai World Trade Centre.


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Sands China Ltd. (01928.HK) and Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. (00027.HK) are the top investment choices among the six Macau gaming operators due to their large scale and strong service culture, according to industry watchers.
“If I have to select two, that would be Sands and Galaxy,” Grant Govertsen, managing partner at Macau-based Union Gaming Research, told the Hong Kong Economic Journal’s EJ Insight. “I think Sands is the preferred one because they have a bigger supply of hotel rooms, gaming tables and slot machines.”
Size is a crucial element because the gaming industry’s success will rely on the ability to capture the mainland mass market, Govertsen said.
Andrew Scott, chief executive of World Gaming Magazine Ltd., also picked Galaxy and Sands China as his top choices.
“Galaxy is my favorite. They have a very strong service culture. Baccarat is a very homogenous product, and at the end of the day, baccarat is the thing that drives Macau. It’s how you differentiate yourself as a business to get the customers to come to you instead of somewhere else. You do that by offering great service,” Scott said.
Shares of Sands China have risen nearly 80 percent this year to HK$61.00 (US$7.87) as of Tuesday from the beginning of this year, while Galaxy has doubled to HK$62.30, Bloomberg data showed.
SJM Holdings Ltd. (00880.HK) has seen its stock price go up about 40 percent to HK$25.30, while Wynn Macau Ltd. (01128.HK) has climbed nearly 50 percent to HK$31.25.
Macau’s casino revenue rose 21.3 percent to 30.18 billion patacas (US$3.78 billion) in November from a year earlier, according to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. For the 11 months to November, revenue climbed 18.6 percent to 327.29 billion patacas from the same period in 2012.
Gaming revenue rose 13.5 percent to 304.14 billion patacas in 2012 from the previous year, which is six times what Las Vegas raked in for the period. Revenue has slowed down to single-digit growth in the first two months of this year due to the central government’s anti-graft campaign, but has regained momentum and recorded double-digit growth for all other months in the year.
Govertsen is certain that Macau’s gaming industry will continue to thrive under Beijing’s blessing as the central government is keen to make the territory an even greater success.
“Beijing would rather keep the revenues in Macau than lose them to other countries. This could be accomplished by certain policy initiatives like making visa access [of mainlanders] to Macau even easier,” he said.
Allowing the gaming sector to thrive in Macau will also demonstrate to the world that the “one country, two systems” policy is a success, Govertsen said.
Many other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam are either expanding or considering expanding their gaming sector. Legal gaming revenue in Asia is estimated at US$60 billion, and the amount will at least double in the next 10 to 15 years, he said.
Govertsen said although most of these countries hope to reel in China’s high rollers, Macau is unlikely to face stiff regional competition.
“If they bypass Macau to get to Philippines, there are perceptions that it’s unsafe, unclean, uncomfortable, they don’t speak the same language and don’t eat the same food, and, by the way, they have only one or two casinos so if they are having bad luck they don’t really have many other choices,” the industry analyst said.
He also believes Japan’s future casinos will mainly tap the local population, especially the elderly who keep a lot of savings in cash.
“Japan will instantly become the second largest gaming market in the world behind Macau, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are competitors. I think Japan will be wildly successful because of the Japanese people, not Chinese.”
Macau has more than 30 casinos under six gaming concessionaires, all of which are expanding their footprints on the Cotai strip.
Some observers say that the Macau government should require gaming operators to develop non-gaming facilities in their Cotai projects to have their licenses renewed in 2020 in a bid to diversify the economy.
In Macau, well over 90 percent of the casinos’ revenue is generated from the gaming segment. By comparison, only 40 percent of the revenue in Las Vegas is from gaming while the rest is from non-gaming services.
But Govertsen said the ratio is not likely to change much in Macau in the coming years.
“The problem we’re facing in Macau is the base of gaming revenue is so big that it almost doesn’t matter how fast non-gaming grows, it’s always going to be a very small part of the pie,” he said.
– Contact the reporter at [email protected]


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Apple is closing a pair of retail stores in east Texas, and opening a new one nearby to take on their traffic. But this has little to do with customer convenience; it’s likely all about patent lawsuits.
The move could easily save Apple millions of dollars.
“Coopetition” best describes the relationship between Apple and Qualcomm. Wireless modems made by Qualcomm are used in iPhones even as the two companies are locked in a years-long patent dispute over billions of dollars.
The fight reached a new phase today as Apple challenged four Qualcomm patents, arguing they shouldn’t have been awarded in the first place.
A small company that makes dual cameras for cellphones claims Apple is infringing on several of its patents. The Israeli startup says it showed Apple prototypes for a miniature telephone lens, and Apple used them to create its own.
According to Corephotonics, the iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 7 Plus all use technology for which it holds patents.
Claiming that Apple is infringing on several of its patents, Ericsson has ramped up its legal efforts against the company by expanding lawsuits to cover Germany, Britain and the Netherlands.
“Apple continues to profit from Ericsson’s technology without having a valid license in place,” said Kasim Alfalahi, chief intellectual property officer at Ericsson, adding that he is confident the courts will resolve the matter fairly.
Apple’s patent battle with Nokia might not be going to plan for Cupertino’s lawyers: staff of the International Trade Commission have reportedly told the judge in the case that Apple’s patent allegations are “unfounded.”
The case is being heard for the first time before Judge Charles Bullock today, but as Bloomberg reports, the third-party of the ITC does not feel Apple’s patents have merit.


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NVIDIA (NVDA) has an overheating problem in chips for notebook computers, which has caused higher-than-normal failure rates in certain GPUs (graphics-processing units) and chip sets. The company blames "weak materials" and says it is fixing the problem. More importantly, global economic weakness will cause NVIDIA to miss its quarterly revenue target by a shocking 20%. WSJ:
Nvidia said it will take a one-time charge of $150 million to $200 million in the second quarter to cover anticipated costs associated with repairs or replacing those products.
The company, while hoping insurers will help cover those costs, has switched the materials it uses, and is discussing the problem and potential responses with suppliers and computer makers.
"We have a responsibility to our customers and will take our part in resolving this problem," said Jen-Hsun Huang, Nvidia's chief executive officer.
The company said it is also being hurt by "end-market weakness around the world," delays in boosting production of a next-generation chip-set product, and price cuts on its GPUs to respond to competition. Rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. recently introduced an improved product line.
The company now expects revenue to be in the $875 million-$950 million range this quarter. Consensus revenue was $1.1 billion. That's quite a miss. (And let's just hope those "weak" materials don't start showing up in more of NVDA's products.) Meanwhile, the stock is down over 20% in pre-market trading.


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Harley-Davidson supports breast cancer survivor ride
Thirty-two breast cancer survivors from the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada and Australia took part in a nine-day motorcycle journey, dubbed Amazon Heart Thunder, up the famed Pacific Coast Highway in California.
The event, sponsored by Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Motor Co., was founded in 2004 by two young breast cancer survivors, Megan Dwyer and Meredith Campbell, to help transform the lives of women living with breast cancer through adventure events that in themselves create a wider social impact in their local communities.
“These rides provide a unique and inspiring peer support opportunity for under-served groups of breast cancer survivors,” Dwyer said.
Harley-Davidson provided each participant with a new 2010 Harley-Davidson model to use for the ride, as well as a Harley-Davidson riding jacket to keep. The ride took off Oct. 9.
“We’re proud to continue to support these passionate and inspiring breast cancer survivors, ” said Leslie Prevish, manager of women’s outreach for Harley-Davidson.
— Rich Rovito
Madison homes cost the most
The annual Coldwell Banker Home Price Comparison Index shows Milwaukee has lost its crown as the most expensive Wisconsin home market. Madison is the new king.
According to 2008 survey of single-family home sales prices, the average home in Madison cost $298,000 while Milwaukee’s average home was $290,648.
Statewide, the most affordable market was Eau Claire where an average home cost $141,270.
The Coldwell Banker survey compared the prices of similar-size homes in 310 U.S. markets and 67 international cities. The most expensive single-family home market in the country was La Jolla, Calif., which had an average home price of $2.13 million. That’s more than $1.8 million higher than the average home in Milwaukee.
— Pete Millard


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In this new eBook, VTT discusses its vision of creating a circular economy of plastics that could counteract the impacts of plastic waste packaging.
Plastics have many benefits as packaging materials, but when they enter ecosystems, they can cause severe damage to the environment. Thus, there is a pressing need to tackle the challenge of plastic packaging waste.
The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is developing a circular economy solution to counter the challenges of plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, while retaining the benefits that plastics offer.
VTT believes that a circular economy of plastics is a significant step towards a sustainable economy where no materials are wasted. This holds the possibly of making life more sustainable in the future and creates opportunities for the businesses of today.
This new eBook, produced in partnership with Innovation News Network, lays out VTT’s vision of creating a circular economy of plastics and includes discussion on:
- Plastic waste in rivers
- Bio-based PEF-plastics
- Recycling polystyrene waste
- Cellulose-based food packaging materials
- Bioplastic from soy residues
- Accelerating the chemical recycling of waste
VTT is a visionary research, development and innovation partner with nearly 80 years of experience of scientific innovation with both private companies and the public sector.
The company has tasked itself with the goal of utilising research and technology to turn global challenges into sustainable growth opportunities for businesses and wider society.
VTT’s activities are focused around three main areas: carbon neutral solutions; sustainable products and materials; and digital technologies.
As part of its core mission to develop sustainable solutions to global challenges, one of VTT’s areas of expertise is developing technologies and techniques to help the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy, which is a significant stop towards a truly sustainable economy.


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Last week the internet was buzzing with news that a few popular YouTube gaming personalities were involved in ethically shady business ventures. No, different ones from this week. What happened was Tom "Syndicate" Cassell and Trevor "TmarTn" Martin own the website CS:GO Lotto, which deals in gambling with randomly-dropped skins that change the appearance, but not function of weapons and other items in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The cosmetic items come in crates, and those crates are unlocked with real money. So, those unlocked-for-cash skins become currency for betting on lotteries and casino-style games.
If that weren't sketchy enough, Cassell and Martin were promoting CS:GO Lotto on their YouTube channels without disclosing the fact that they owned the site. In an effort to distance itself from the controversy Valve (CS: GO's publisher and developer) has recently stated that it has zero affiliation with any third-party skin gambling services. As Game Informer notes, these skins can go for thousands of dollars -- something that Gabe Newell (above) and Co. apparently don't see a penny of.
"We'd like to clarify that we have no business relationships with any of these sites. We have never received any revenue from them. And Steam does not have a system for turning in-game items into real world currency," a post on Steam says. The third-party sites work by essentially creating Steam accounts, having users link their accounts to the service and then, the sites trade items internally. That's forbidden by Steam's terms of service, according to Ars Technica.
Cassell was also recently involved with the controversy surrounding Machinima and paid, positive videos about the Xbox One as well. Last month, an amended complaint was filed against Cassell, Martin and Valve for allowing an illegal online gambling market to crop up surrounding in-game items.


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News » Summer
We’re excited to share to all our Green Apple Active customers that we have a new Eco-development in the works named “Comfort Support”. This will arrive the end of April...
We know it's now officially fall season, but we can't stop our summer dreaming! Check out our newest Green Apple Summer 2013 Trend color report.
Showing items 1-2 of 2.


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On August 6th 2012, Subaru of America Facebook fans will be the ones to select two charities that will be part of the 2012 ‘Share the Love’ sales event. Over the past four years, Subaru has donated over 20 million dollars to charitable organizations through the ‘Share the Love’ sales event. This year, the annual event is expected to deliver 5 million dollars in donations to two fan-selected charities which are part of a select group of five charitable organizations. Voting starts on August 6th and goes till August 26th and fans have the option of voting daily.
“‘Share the Love’ has always been about giving back to our communities in which we live and work,” said Subaru Director of Marketing Communications, Alan Bethke. “Subaru ‘Share the Love’ charitable partners have always reflected the values and ideals of our owners. Empowering our digital demographic via Facebook is a natural extension for Share the Love.”
For every new vehicle sold or leased from November 21st through to January 2nd, the ‘Share the Love’ sales event sees that $250 is donated to the cause up to $250,000. The two charities selected by Subaru of America’s Facebook fans will join the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Make-A-Wish®, and Meals on Wheels Association of America®.
Facebook fans will be able to vote for one of the following charitable organizations:
- Alzheimer’s Association®: The Alzheimer’s Association works to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research and to provide and enhance care and support for all affected.
- American Forests: American Forests protects and restores forests, which create habitat for wildlife, clean our air and water and preserve the health of our planet for the benefit of all.
- First Book: First Book provides new, high-quality books to kids in need, helping them to succeed in school and in life.
- Leave No Trace: Leave No Trace educates Americans of all ages how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly to ensure the long-term health of our parks, trails and waterways.
- Special Olympics: Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for people with intellectual disabilities, unleashing the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport everyday around the world.
- USO: The USO is a private, nonprofit organization that provides critical support to forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.
“We created the ‘Share the Love’ event to celebrate our owners and their passion for volunteerism and community involvement. And our charity partners continue to make the event better and better each year,” said Brian Johnson, national advertising manager, Subaru of America, Inc.
Fans can cast their ballots at the Share the Love Facebook page.
B Corps is a new type of corporation that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA) invites you to an evening of discussion on how to forge a successful B Corps. The event will feature:
- Networking opportunities with highly-experienced B Corps executives
- Informative panel discussions with experts on the process and benefits of B Corps
- Showcase of B Corps products and services
- Raffle drawing for exciting prizes
The event takes place between 7:00-9:00 pm on Wednesday, October 10th 2012 at Lexus Santa Monica located at 1501 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404.
Please RSVP here.
SBC Board Members
Steve Glenn-(Chair,) Laura Berland-Shane, Rob Kramer,
Lee Wallach, Becki Kammerling, Carrie Norton
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Lexus Santa Monica
1501 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA 90404
LAcarGUY joined forces with the Tree Musketeers for the 25th annual Arbor Day celebration in El Segundo on May 10, 2012. Arbor Day (from the Latin arbor, meaning tree) is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.
We planted over 170 trees. Planting trees is the simplest way for you to make a meaningful impact in the environmental movement. Each tree planted generates crucial clean oxygen, serve as noise and pollution buffers, provide beautification and so much more.
LACarGuy’s Mike Sullivan Unveils Open-Access “Level 2” Electric Vehicle Charging Stations During Fisker Karma Preview Event
LAcarGuy to be the First Automotive Dealership in the U.S. to Have Charging Stations for the New Plug-in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles
LOS ANGELES – June 30, 2010 – Mike Sullivan, president of LAcarGuy, announced the installation of “Level 2” SAE J-1772 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations during a preview event for the upcoming Fisker Karma car ,the world’s first luxury hybrid plug-in electric vehicle with zero emissions.
Beginning this summer, anyone with a plug-in and hybrid vehicle will be able to drive up to an LAcarGuy dealership: Toyota Hollywood, Toyota Santa Monica, Fisker Santa Monica and Lexus Santa Monica and get charged.
LAcarGuy will be the first automotive dealer in the U.S. to offer the “Level 2” SAE J-1772, the new industry standard for electric chargers. The “Level 2” chargers are compatible with all electric hybrid and plug-in vehicles. The number one hybrid dealer in the country has taken on the initiative to make adopting a greener lifestyle easier for Los Angeles residents.
“LAcarGuy is proud to be the first U.S. automotive dealership to offer the only industry-approved electric charging stations on the market,” said President of LAcarGuy, Mike Sullivan. “This is yet another step for us to support the community with sustainable options. It’s our commitment to ensuring that our daily driving habits contribute to a healthier planet.”
Winning the coveted Stevie Award for the “Most Innovative Company of the Year” from The 2010 American Business Awards program, the Fisker Karma is the first eco-chic sports car developed in eco-friendly facilities.
Driven by their mission to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil and lower emissions, the Fisker features all carefully sourced environmentally sound materials like wood trim from ‘non-living’ trees, EcoGlass derived from recyclable sand, and soft-hand textiles composed of 100-percent bamboo viscose.
LAcarGuy’s Fisker Santa Monica will be the only automotive retailer to carry the Fisker Karma in Los Angeles.
About LAcarGuy: As the number one hybrid dealer in the country, Mike Sullivan’s LAcarGuy houses 10 automotive dealerships throughout greater Los Angeles with a commitment to the environment and a cleaner America. A fixture in the Los Angeles community since Mike’s father, “Sully” opened his first dealership in 1964, Mike serves on the Regional Board of Directors for Global Green and on the Advisory Board for the Environmental Media Association. Practicing what he preaches, Mike’s home is completely off-the-grid with 100-percent solar power and a seventh electric car charger that has been installed in his garage. He was honored as “Man of the Year” by the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Organization in 2009 and was Richmond Family Center’s 2009 “King of Hearts.” Today, he is committed to making a difference for our planet with “green teams” implemented at each of his dealerships and the “Driving Green” incentive program, which donates $100 of every car sold to a green charity of the driver’s choice.


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If you want to check your credit score but you don’t want to pay you may be in luck, that is if you are down on luck. The Dodd-Frank financial overhaul is making changes again and this time it’s concerning individuals who were denied a credit card or auto loan.
Since the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul was passed last year politicians have been working towards enforcing various provisions to improve consumer’s relationship with the financial industry.
The latest law, passed on July 21, 2011, requires that consumers who were denied a credit card or auto loan to be provided with a free copy of their credit score. According to politicians involved with the law, this new regulation will help consumers gauge where their finances stand.
In a statement posted on his website, Colorado Senator Mark Udall stated, “The purpose for the law was to provide consumers with greater access to and information about their credit scores,” Udall, the one who proposed the bill also added, “By seeing the clearest picture possible of their personal finances, consumers can actively work to improve their scores.”
In the past, consumers were all entitled to a free annual credit report, but not necessarily their credit scores. A credit report includes your address, public records and payment history, but does not come with a credit score. A credit score costs around $20 to access and often falls on the back burner for consumers dealing with bigger problems. The disclosure notice will not only provide the denied individuals score, but it will also show how the score ranks nationally and what factors decreased the score, i.e late payments, maxed out credit cards etc.
Although this may not change the country’s struggle with keeping out of debt, the new regulation is a step in the right direction. Consumers will have poor spending habits brought to their attention and will hopefully view it as a sign to make changes.


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market.us recently published a research report on, the "Global Image Sensor Market By Technology, By Type, By Application, By Region and Companies - Industry Segment Outlook, Market Assessment, Competition Scenario, Trends, and Forecast 2023-2032". According to the report, the Global Image Sensors Market size was valued at USD 26.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 55.8 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2023-2032.
Rising security spending across public places worldwide combined with technology designed to bolster anti-terror equipment that also prevents security breaches are expected to drive this sector of industry forward.
The global image sensors market is poised for significant growth as technological advancements and expanding applications continue to fuel demand. With an increasing need for high-quality imaging solutions across industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, and security, the image sensors market is expected to reach new milestones in the coming years.
- In 2022, the 2D segment emerged as the top revenue generator in the Global Image Sensors Market.
- The Automotive Sector segment is dominating the market in terms of application and is expected to grow significantly from 2023 to 2032.
- The Asia-Pacific Region held the largest revenue share of 41% in 2022, establishing its dominance in the market.
- Europe secured the second position in revenue share in 2022 and is projected to experience substantial growth from 2023 to 2032.
Sensors have quickly become an indispensable element of modern vehicles, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), medical devices and automated production technologies. Sensors have also become more affordable, robust, precise, specific, frequent smarter and communicative. Their benefits will make them attractive options for deployment in future smart infrastructure systems; due to superior image quality and sensitivity of Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) technology this was previously the dominant solution used.
Since 2004, due to technological developments, CMOS image sensors have outshone CCD image sensors in terms of volume of shipment since 2004. CCD sensors utilize high voltage analog circuitry while CMOS uses less power and has smaller dimensions; CCD remains more popular due to increased revenue generated for growth in image sensors market growth.
Firstly, the continuous evolution of camera technologies and the proliferation of smartphones have revolutionized the consumer electronics sector. The demand for high-resolution imaging capabilities, augmented reality (AR) applications, and enhanced camera features in smartphones has been a major driving force behind the growth of the image sensors market.
Additionally, the automotive industry has witnessed a rapid integration of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies. Image sensors play a crucial role in enabling these systems by providing accurate and real-time information for object detection, lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control. The increasing adoption of electric vehicles and the rising trend of in-car entertainment systems further contribute to the demand for image sensors in the automotive sector.
Furthermore, the healthcare industry has embraced the use of image sensors in medical devices such as endoscopes, surgical cameras, and X-ray machines. These sensors facilitate precise imaging, aiding medical professionals in diagnostics, minimally invasive surgeries, and patient monitoring. The growing emphasis on telemedicine and remote patient monitoring is also expected to drive the demand for image sensors in the healthcare sector.
In the realm of security and surveillance, image sensors have become indispensable components in surveillance cameras, facial recognition systems, and biometric scanners. The need for enhanced security measures across residential, commercial, and public sectors, coupled with the increasing adoption of smart city initiatives, is propelling the image sensors market forward.
To cater to the evolving market demands, leading companies in the image sensors industry are heavily investing in research and development activities to develop advanced sensor technologies. Innovations such as backside-illuminated (BSI) sensors, stacked CMOS sensors, and time-of-flight (ToF) sensors are gaining prominence, enabling improved image quality, higher resolutions, and faster data processing.
Top Trends in Global Image Sensors Market
Many vendors are now adopting CMOS image sensor technology, signalling its rapid advancement into low-cost camera designs. Although compared with CCD sensors for image quality at similar price points, CMOS sensors have grown increasingly popular due to their on-chip functionality in low-cost consumer markets like consumer electronics, automotive security, surveillance and others.
Consumer electronics has seen an explosion of demand for smartphones equipped with both rear- and front-facing cameras, driven largely by autonomous vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that enhance driver safety. Furthermore, as CMOS images can be utilized as security applications even under low light or dim light lighting conditions - their usage has skyrocketed as security applications become ever more critical in business operations.
Sony Corporation of Japan holds an unparalleled position in the CMOS sensor market and was the pioneer for commercializing automotive cameras equipped with their sensors. To increase production capacity of stacked image sensors for automotive cameras, Sony invested USD 895 Million (105 Billion JPY).
SmartSens is an industry leader when it comes to CMOS image sensors. Recently they unveiled the SC550XS ultra-high resolution 50MP image sensor featuring 1.0 micrometer pixels - using SmartSens' proprietary technologies including SmartClarity-2, SFCPixel and PixGainHDR technologies to produce superior picture quality while using 22nm HKMG Stack process for outstanding imaging performance.
Metalenz, an international start-up that develops meta-optic lens technology, recently unveiled an innovation that embeds polarization sensing capabilities directly into mobile and consumer devices - improving healthcare management features and ultimately revolutionising healthcare management features.
They are leading the imaging sensor market share.
Image sensor manufacturers are continuously making innovations to their products that offer more robust, accurate sensing at lower costs - Time-Of-Fight technology (TOF) has emerged as a game-changer here.
Recent Trends of Image Sensor Market
Realme has recently announced the availability of their 9 Pro Series smartphones equipped with Sony's IMX766 image sensors in Europe in February 2022. Each sensor measures 1/1.56", offering large pixels for photography with optical image stabilisation (OIS), along with an aperture size of 0.88 which facilitates taking clear photos even at long range distance.
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE), purchased Bungie Inc in January 2022 as an independent videogame developer that had long collaborated with them - they had helped produce iconic titles like Halo and Destiny with them! SIE now gained access to Bungie's technical knowledge as well as world-class live games; increasing SIE's potential reach of billions of gamers around the globe.
Click here to read the report titled, "Global Image Sensor Market By Technology, By Type, By Application, By Region and Companies - Industry Segment Outlook, Market Assessment, Competition Scenario, Trends, and Forecast 2023-2032".


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“Blood Leakage Detection System”, developed by AcuSense BioMedical Technology Corp. (AcuSense), is a specific medical device designed for kidney disease patient to reduce the risk of dialysis treatment. Through the cooperation with HUKUI Tech, the subsidy of Hukui Biotechnology Co., Ltd., AcuSense is going to expand its business to China. HUKUI Tech integrates product authorization, registration, production and distribution as a CDMO service. The CDMO service is a total solution provided by HUKUI Tech for those companies who are interested in marketing their new developed device. Without factory building by itself, AcuSense could speed up product launching schedule because of cost and time saving. It will help the product time on market.
Years ago, the Med Tech Division of BioMed Commercialization Center (BMCC) introduced AcuSense’s specific device, “Blood Leakage Detection System” to HUKUI Tech, and then HUKUI Tech and Cymmetrik Enterprise (Cymmetrik) formed the strategic alliance to build up the production and sales partnership for this new business model in ChongQing. According to “The Lancet” Journal in 2017, there is over 130 billion kidney disease patients in China. And about 580 thousand patients, 0.45% in ratio, are taking dialysis treatment routinely, with the growing rate around 15-20% per year. Since China is the biggest dialysis treatment market in the world, this huge business opportunity is the key point to have the three companies decide to cooperate in “Blood Leakage Detection System”.
The contract signing ceremony, held at Cymmetrik’s headquarter in 2020 April 8th, successfully declares the cooperation goal. Cymmetrik CEO Dr. Templer Wei, HUKUI President Mr. John Hsuan, AcuSense CEO Mr. Kuan Yu Chen, BMCC Division Leader Dr. Evan Lin and IS-Law Partner-Attorney Dr. Ben Liu participate the ceremony to witness on the beginning of this new business model, so called CDMO service. The three parties will dedicate themselves to this innovative device based on their expertise and function. Under this teamwork, “Blood Leakage Detection System” is expected to be in the market soon.